Values+in+Action

=Superheroes are good people. =
 * Misty Burnworth, Craig Wilsie, Robert Bonilla**

Instructional Objective
The learners will commit to knowledge vocabulary associated with character traits. This knowledge will then carry over into their writing and response to literature. An additional benefit will be that the students will learn to exemplify the positive traits in their own actions and choices. Finally, students will learn to communicate with others in their team.
 * California ELA Standards**
 * //Literary Response and Analysis//**
 * (4th grade)** 3.4 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character’s traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character’s actions.
 * (5th grade)** 3.3 Contrast the actions, motives (e.g., loyalty, selfishness, conscientiousness), and appearances of characters in a work of fiction and discuss the importance of the contrasts to the plot or theme.
 * (6th grade)** 3.2 Analyze the effect of the qualities of the character (e.g., courage or cowardice, ambition or laziness) on the plot and the resolution of the conflict.

Learners & Context of Use
This game is designed for students in third through eighth grade. Many students are familiar with a handful of terms related to character's actions, however they are not comfortable using more advanced terms when referring to characters. On a recent assignment given to 20 fourth graders, most students described the protagonist in the story as nice, friendly or caring. The antagonist was described as mean, rude, or bad. In playing this game the students will become more familiar with more detailed forms of describing a person's character. This game will be played in tandem on character traits and could be used in any classroom setting, as well as counseling offices and after school programs. Purposeful teaching and discussion regarding character traits should be ongoing, with charts and word banks to assist the students recall of the vocabulary. After the game has been played multiple times, the players should be using the vocabulary in their oral responses to literature, and in their writing.

Competing Products
This game is similar to Cranium, where players are asked to perform a task prior to moving their game piece. It will have action cards that ask the player to perform a task. They will be divided into three types, a password-type action, a Pictionary-type (drawing) action, and Charades-type (acting out) action. Finding games that combine actions is rare, as are ones that focus on vocabulary associated with character traits. There are other super hero games, however many focus on physical traits and feats of the characters, instead of their values and personal qualities.

**Object of the Game**
The object of this race-type game is to become a superhero with superhero qualities. Players will complete a task which, when complete, will allow the team to roll their die and move their playing piece through the classrooms and echelons of Superhero Academy. Once a player completes an echelon, or grade, they will need to complete a test to go on to the next level. Once they reach the top level, and complete all the tasks, they reach superhero status.

Content Analysis
The Contents Analysis of our board game is linked to another page.

Game Materials

 * Game board
 * Team playing pieces - 4 total
 * Three sets of cards
 * Final Exam Scenarios [[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/scenario+cards.pdf"]][| scenario cards.pdf]
 * //Circumstance Cards[[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/pdf.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/circumstances.pdf"]][| circumstances.pdf],//
 * //Values - cover [[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/empty.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/Values+front.doc"]][| Values front.doc], page 1 [[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/empty.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/Values1.doc"]][| Values1.doc], page 2 [[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/empty.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/Values2.doc"]][| Values2.doc], page 3 [[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/empty.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/Values3.doc"]][| Values3.doc], page 4 [[image:http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/empty.png width="32" height="32" link="http://670valuesinaction.wikispaces.com/file/view/Values4.doc"]][| Values4.doc]//
 * Drawing pad and pencil
 * 1 die
 * A timer

Time Required
The game would take no more than 3 minutes to set up. The cards will be separated into piles and the playing pieces will be placed onto the starting space.

The Rules
Set the board out and put the playing pieces onto the board. Separate the action cards into their places on the board. Decide on the teams -- you can have up to four teams with up to four players on each team (//Dynamic Duos// - 2 players,//Terrific Trios// - 3 players, or //Fantastic Fours// - 4 players). Each team rolls the die to determine who goes first. All teams begin in the middle square. Your turn: Once you reach the end of a level, you must perform a Final Exam, which is a //Character Builder Challenge//. If you are successful, you pass the class and can move on to the next classroom (to the left of the class you just finished). If you fail, you must stay on the Final Exam space until you pass. The teams that complete all four classes will attain //**Superhero Status**//, and wins!
 * Roll the die to see how many spaces to move (when beginning play, you can move into the class of your choice).
 * Draw a card that corresponds with the space you land on. If you land on a //C// space, you draw a //Circumstance// card, read it and follow it's directions. If you land on //Wonder Words (WW)//, //Dynamic Drawing (DD)//, or //Action Acting (AA)// you will choose a character trait card.
 * One person from the team will read the card and perform the trait through drawing, acting, or words (this role should rotate through the team). The team member performing has a minute to think about it, and then two minutes to perform. They cannot say the word or the team automatically fails the challenge.
 * The other players must decipher the character trait that the reader is trying to describe, act, or draw. Use the timer
 * **They guessed it!** If your team successfully names the trait your team's turn continues -- roll the die to see where you land next. Usually it will be a positive trait that a superhero would want. But once in awhile, a negative villain trait will sneak in. If it is a villian trait, someone on your team must say "Not a superhero trait" or your team will not be allowed to continue.
 * **They didn't guess it.** Stay where you are and wait for you next turn to try another challenge. The other teams have a chance to "steal" -- if they correctly name the trait after time runs out, then they can move ahead to the next Consequence spot and draw a card. Then regular play continues and the next team goes.
 * Play moves in a clock wise motion.

Motivational Issues
The game encourages the players to think about behaviors, the traits they show, and the vocabulary to accurately describe them. The reader needs to use creativity to get the guessers to understand the trait they are drawing, acting, or describing. There will be a time-limit, so there is a sense of urgency. The players are in teams, so there is cooperation and competition. The game will be relevant to the players on two levels: helping them to analyze characters they read about in literature and also to help them think about their own traits.

Design Process
When I first developed the game, I wanted some way to remind students of appropriate behavior and character traits. Craig connected the character traits to the literature standards. As many teachers know, students have difficulties identifying personality traits that characters in literature portray. We combined those ideas with one of my favorite games, Cranium. Cranium requires players to work together, communicate, and use creativity to get the idea across.

What we lacked was a context. After discussing the game with Bernie Dodge, and our team members, we came up with the Superhero Academy. The players will represent a team of super heroes in training. As they go through their classes, they will learn about both positive and negative character traits through actions performed by team members. We wanted to create scenarios that would "test" the superheros integrity. Therefore we created Character Development Assessment cards with scenarios that the players need to make a group decision about. Once the test is completed properly they can move to the next of four levels. Roberto Bonilla designed the board game according to the design document's specifications.

Third and fourth graders (ages 8 - 10) tested this game and again by children ages 12 - 13. The rubric created by Mike Compton was used to evaluate the game. The following remarks were made by student testers.
 * **Clarity** - ( average score 2) The directions were unclear to many students. Even though the student responses to the game could be divided into two groups, those who were unfamiliar with playing board games, and students who had played board games before. The non-players had problems with knowing where to go and what to actually do once the landed on a space. They also had problems with knowing that they had to guess, out loud, which character trait was being acted out, or drawn. These students would benefit from modeling how to play the game prior to letting them play on their own. The player students had problems with knowing when to roll and when to stay in place and where to start on the game board. This would require the designers to clarify instructions and place "Enter Class Here" labels to each class.
 * **Flow** - (average score 3) The speed of the game was slow. The students had difficulty with drawing and acting out the values. The game seemed tedious when a task had to be repeated because team members failed to guess the word. To increase flow we will limit the more difficult tasks (Dynamic Drawing and Action Acting) to one or two per class and give rewards (extra spaces) to the students who guess the Dynamic Drawing (DD) or Action Acting (AA) challenges. Another way to increase flow will be to allow players to move until the players fail a challenge. This will increase also the speed of the game and alleviate the confusion of when to roll. If it is your turn you will roll the die until you fail a challenge, or you take a Final.
 * **Balance -** (average score 5.5) All players felt that they were equally challenged and no players were given more of an advantage than the other, although students with higher vocabularies fared better than those with less advanced language. Letting opposite teams steal the guess if the playing team doesn't guess correctly makes the game balanced as well.
 * **Length -** (average score 4) The game seemed too long at times, especially when the teams could not guess the vocabulary words after two turns. Once the flow is increased, the speed of the game will improve. In its current form the game was played for at least forty-five minutes, and the game was not completed. Therefore adjustments will need to be made so that the game isn't so long. Letting players keep on rolling if they meet a challenge should shorten the play time. Stopping at the end of each class will prevent players from sweeping the board.
 * **Integration** - (average score 5) The game kept to the theme pretty well. Some students were surprised that there were no physical challenges required too.
 * **Fun** - (average 6.5) The students enjoyed the challenges, acting out, and even the drawing, even when the team members would guess incorrectly. Time was spent by the players explaining what they were trying to draw, act, or explain. Which fit the purpose of the game and increased the fun. "What is **that!?**" "Oh, I see" Were comments made by the students during this time. They became emotionally attached to the game especially when the players thought that a word would be easy. The opposing team would wait impatiently for the opportunity to steal the guess, often watching as the last grain of sand fell. To increase enjoyment the teachers should review some of the character traits prior to, playing the game, because most of the difficulty was because he vocabulary of the game was difficult.
 * **Strongest Point** - It was challenging and kept you on your toes. Being the guesser on the team was fun. It makes you think and it has good vocabulary.
 * **Weakest Point** - Drawing words like respect, integrity, and team player was extremely difficult. There was words that we didn't know.
 * **One change** - Speeding up the game. Use easier words. Let the players roll more.
 * **Comparable Games** - This game is like Cranium.